In the Light of New Circumstances (A Swan Queen Fanfic)
by juicecupswanqueen
Summary: Regina and Emma fall through a time portal and end up back to the night that Tinkerbell took younger Regina to meet her soul mate. Older Regina gets the surprise of her life. This was just a one-shot fanfic to celebrate Swan Queen Week 2015!


"OOF!"

They landed on the ground with a thud, rolling to alleviate some of the pain trying to breathe after having the wind knocked out of them.

"I told you, not to get to close," Regina gasped as she bent forward, "I specifically advised, 'Emma, it's a time portal, watch out, don't get any closer' but do you listen? No!" Her mocking continued as she did a high pitched poor sarcastic imitation of Emma's voice, "'I'm the savior and I know what I'm doing'."

Emma was on her hands and knees, slowly getting up. "Your animosity won't help the situation, Regina." She looked around. "Where are we?"

"Well obviously, we're back in the Enchanted Forest."

"Yeah, but when?"

"I'm not sure but we should get off this main road," Regina suggested as both women were finally upright and working the kinks out of their muscles. "There looks to be a town that way. Come on."

As the women ducked into the brush on the side of the road and made their way toward town, Emma stopped. "Wait, wait. We need to change or something, just in case we are spotted. Can you conjure up peasant robes or something?

"Peasant robes?" the former Evil Queen sounded offended by the mere mention and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Now, now, Regina. You're not going to morph into your evil _Elvira meets Adams Family_ garb right now. I've _seen_ a few of your outfits and there is nothing discreet about them. We need to blend in and possibly stay covered, you know?"

The older woman relented and nodded, "Right, right. You're right."

"Besides," Emma went on, "What would _you _do if you ran into _you_ looking like _you_? _You _would probably try to kill you for looking like_ you_. Then you wouldn't be happy would you?"

Regina threw her a supercilious glare and rolled her shoulders to cast the spell but felt the blonde reach out and stop her.

"Can I try it?"

"What? Emma, I don't think it's a good idea."

"But we've been practicing more and I think I'm ready."

"And if not we'll both be standing naked in the middle of the forest," Regina pointedly looked at her. Thank goodness it was nearing nightfall. Emma did not want Regina to see the blush that crept across her face at the thought of them being naked together. Regina huffed in resignation. "Okay fine. Do it."

Emma smiled gleefully at the chance to impress her teacher. She closed her eyes and held her hands outward, fingers splayed and felt her magic run through her. After she cast the spell she opened her eyes and the sight that welcomed her made her flush a deeper shade of red. "Oh my…" As a comparison Emma looked at herself, in normal peasant garb. Regina however was dressed a bit more provocatively.

"Great! You turned me into a bar wench, Swan. And I don't know why but my breasts look bigger."

"It must be the corset," Emma gulped.

With a wave of her hand Regina changed the bodice of her garment to match Emma's ultimately making her breast size return to normal. "Much better."

"Oh and robes." Emma conjured up two brown robes that they both swam in with full deep hoods. "See…" she boasted as they pulled the hoods onto their heads, "I'm getting good. We're looking all fairytale like!"

"We look like a couple of scraggly Jedi Knights," Regina complained.

"May the Force shut you the hell up," Emma rolled her eyes and turned.

By the time they reached the village, nightfall was upon them. Regina looked around in recognition. "I know this place, I think." They heard a group of drunks laughing, coming their way, and thought it best to move out of sight behind a building.

Regina was having a strong sense of déjà vu. She _had _been here before. The older woman was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized she was leaning up against the building alone.

"Regina, over here! It's a back entrance to a restaurant or something. Come on."

The brunette tiptoed behind the building and followed Emma through the back door, their hoods still up as they sat down at an obscure table.

"So not a restaurant. A bar." Emma amended. They both sat against a wall looking around the room. "Okay, listen. I'm going to make my way around the room. See if I can find out anything."

"I don't know Emma. We must be careful not to change history."

"Don't you think I know that? I've done this before."

"Yes," Regina ridiculed and murmured under her breath, "…and look how well _that _turned out. You changed history…"

"…And ruined your life, yada, yada, yada. I know." Emma rolled her eyes and gripped Regina's wrist for emphasis. "Just wait here, and don't _kill _anyone or crush any hearts while I'm gone."

"Ha-ha, very funny. I shall refrain for as long as I can," Regina quipped sarcastically, though truth be known, she hated being back here.

She watched Emma rise slowly and inconspicuously round a few tables. The patrons were so inebriated they barely noticed her with her hood up. Regina would bet if Emma took the robe off she would receive many leering looks from admirers and that thought irked Regina to no end.

It wasn't until a heavy set customer moved away from the bar that she saw him. Sitting and laughing with one of his mates. Robin. He and his companion clinked mugs and heartily drank. Then he bent over the bar good naturedly and that's when she saw it. The glow. She knew where they were now.

Emma came over and blew out a frustrated breath as she slumped into her chair. "I have no idea where we are… or when." She saw Regina's eyes practically bulging wide as her mouth hung open. "Regina. Regina, what's wrong?"

"Do you see that?"

"See what?" Emma turned and saw nothing amiss.

"You don't see it?"

"Regina, what do you see?" She looked closely at her but now Regina was staring at the front door. Emma looked over her shoulder and saw Tinkerbell. "Oh! There's Tink! Maybe she can help us!" The blonde started to get up but Regina dragged her back down into her chair.

"No! We can't go out there. Not yet."

"What are you talking about?"

Then the door swung open and it was Emma's turn to widen her eyes in surprise. "Regina! That's you!"

Regina sat in agony watching the entire episode play out all over again, like a recurring nightmare. The Pixie Dust glowing around her soul mate. Only this time, Regina saw the look of sheer fright flit across her younger self. The doubt and the inner struggle. She not only remembered how it felt but she could see it all so plainly. Younger Regina slammed the door and fled and older Regina dipped her head in sadness.

Emma looked over at her older companion and saw the anguish and heartache. "Regina what just happened? Why did you, I mean younger you, hightail it out of here so fast?" Then an unsavory idea came to mind. "Holy crap! Did she see you?"

"No, Emma," Regina's head was still bowed and she twiddled her fingers on the table anxiously. Then she saw Emma's hands reach over and cover hers to comfort her.

That was when it happened. Suddenly, Emma's hands were glowing green! Regina's eyes incredulously followed the continuing glow up Emma's form to her face. Regina's eyes darted to Robin, who was no longer glowing! His frame was regular and dull; no prominence what so ever.

The way Regina was staring at her made Emma self-conscious and a little scared. "What?! Do I have cow shit on my face or something?" The blonde started to rub her cheeks with her robe sleeve.

"It-It can't be…" Regina slowly shook her head in disbelief. Then as if to refute her, or as if to relay some deeper meaning, the pixie dust started to glow even brighter, almost to a blinding degree. She squinted and held her hand up to her face as if looking at the sun, but even then it didn't help so she had to turn her head away.

"Okay…_WHAT _are you doing?"

"Emma, you're so bright!"

"Regina, you're creeping me out!"

Regina was awestruck. If her suspicions were correct that would mean…

The pixie dust's magic still lingered in the tavern because essentially _she _was still in the tavern. Robin no longer glowed and Emma did and even _brighter_. The implications of this were enormous.

"We need to get out of here, Emma." She didn't wait for a reply. Regina bolted from her seat and headed for the door and she was glad that Emma was hot on her heels. She held her hood down as she passed Robin but then heard his voice and then a yelp from Emma.

"Hey, blondie! How about a roll in the sheets?" Regina frowned at his drunken state.

"Hey buddy, pinch my ass one more time and I'll…" Regina assumed that Emma recognized the man because her speech abruptly halted. "Holy shit!"

Robin seemed to notice the recognition in her eyes, "I'm sorry but do we know one another, love." Then he leered at her, "Have I spent time between your gorgeous legs before?"

Emma scrunched her nose in disgust and gave Regina a look of sheer disbelief. "Seriously?"

Regina, held her hand up still blinded by the pixie dust's glow surrounding Emma, and still only Emma she noticed, and lunged for her companion, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her out of the tavern.

Once outside the glow diminished and faded and Regina was forced to see Emma through new eyes. She couldn't quite believe this was happening and yet, something about it all seemed so right.

"Why are you looking at me as if I suddenly grew horns or something?"

Regina stepped a little closer and placed her palm on Emma's soft cheek. Emma's eyes widened and then she leaned into the caress and they both gasped.

"We need to find Rumpelstiltskin." Regina broke contact. "We need to get back to Henry and to our own time."

"Okay. Let's continue out of sight. I'd rather not bump into any more people we know."

"You and me both."

The two women went off into the night to try and find their way home.


End file.
